William p



(No ModeL) w. P. KIRKLAND.

. VEHIGL-E DEVICE FOR GHEGKING HORSES.

Patented June 20, 1882.

INVENIU R M W M fl 1'0 all whom it may concern UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

VEHICLE DEVICE FOR CHECKING HORSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,765, dated June 20,1882.

Application filed February 23, 1882.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. KIRK- LAND, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and residing at Hanford, in the county of Tulare and State ofCalifornia, have invented a certain new and useful Vehicle Device forChecking Horses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvementsin vehicle devices for checkinghorses; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to pro: vide adevice which will enable a driver to fasten his animal without the aidof ropes and hitching-posts or weights connected to the bridle or hit;second, to provide a means whereby a sliding Windlass-rod orpinion-shaft connected to the driving-reins may be rotated by beingthrown or moved into gear with an internally-toothed band upon the innerend of the wheel-hub.

In the drawings hereto annexed, and which form a part ofthis-specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing my device inposition. Fig. 2 is a sectional side view, partly broken away, showingthe pinion and its loosely-journaled shaft. Fig. 3 is a plan view of thepinion and the internally-toothed bandwheel.

Similar letters of reference are used to designate like parts throughoutthe several views.

A represents the inner end'of a wheel-hub journaled upon the axle B,both being constructed in the usual manner. The internallytoothed band 0is securely placed upon the wheel-hub and projects a short distancebeyond it, as shown in Fig. 1.

Upon the vehicle-axle are secured the journal-boXes-D E F, one ofwhichpreferably the one marked D-is provided with an upwardlyprojectingtang, D, the point of which is bent over to form a fulcrum, upon whichis pivoted the lever-arm G, the lower bifurcated end of which embracesthe sliding Windlass-rod or pinion-shaft H at a point where the diameterof said shaft is reduced so as to form two shoulders, I 1, between whichthe forked end ofv the lever rests; or, if deemed preferable, collarsmay be secured upon the shaft, against which the lever-arm may impingewhen moved backward or forward.

' The sliding rod H revolves upon its bearings or journals J J J, whichare turned of a (No model.)

smaller diameter than the shaft proper, and thus a shoulder, K, isformed ateach end of each bearing, the length of the journals orposition of the shoulders regulating the length of end movement of whichthe shaft is capable.

Upon the outer end of the sliding rod is loosely journaled the pinion L,held in place by means of a collar, M,- forined by the ends of theratchet-teeth N and the pin or key 0. Thepinion L has its centerrecessed for a greater portion of .its thickness, as seen in Fig.

hinged the pawls P P P. These pawls, which operate by their own gravity,or by a spring, if deemed preferable, engage with the ratchetteeth-Nupon the end of the sliding shaft 'H, and thereby produce a revolutionof said rod, when by the action of the lever-arm G the pinion is thrownor moved into gear with the internally-toothed rim or band upon thewheelhub, and the wheel is revolved by the starting of the horseattached to the vehicle.

The outer ends of the pawls P are curved, as shown in Fig. 3, in orderthat they may more easily engage with the ratchet-teeth, which they onlydo when the revolution of the pinion has brought one of the pawls nearlyover or above the center of the sliding shaft, when the weight of thepawls outer end will cause it to swing down and engage with itsteeth,from which it brought the pawls beneath the center of the slidingshaft, andtheweight of the pawl causes the outer end to disengage itselfand fall down upon the outer edge of the recess, as shown in Fig. 3.

When the device is not set for action the i pinion is to be withdrawnfrom contact with the wheel hub by sliding the pinion shaft backwardthrough its journal-boxes for a sufficient distance to permit of suchclearance.

The operation of myimproved vehicle device for checking horses will beas follows, to wit: When it is desired that the animal should standwithout hitching, the driver, by means of the h an d-lever G, moves theslidingarm Houtward and throwsthe loosely-journaled pinion L into meshwith the internally-toothed band 0. He then attaches the driving-reinsto the strap Q, having a ring, R, upon its outer end and securelyattached by its inner end to the sliding rod H.

2, and upon the periphery of said recess are is released when therotation of the pinion has too If the animal now attempts to start Iforward, the revolution of the vehicle-wheel will cause a rotation ofthe pinion, the internal pawls of which will engage with theratchetteeth upon the slidingrod and produce rotation of the same,winding up the strap to which the reins are attached, and bydrawiugbackward upon the bridle-bit compel the animal to stop. When theanimal has stopped and the wheel to which this device is attached nolonger revolves the tension of the reins or a stretching movement of theanimals head and neck will cause a backward free revolution of thesliding shaft, unwinding the strap and slackening the reins sufiicientlyto allow the horse to stand at ease.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination of the axle B, having 20 journal-boxes D E F,shouldered Windlass-rod H, adapted to rotate and slide in said boxes,and provided at one end with ratchet-teeth N, the recessed pinionL,journaled loosely on said shaft, and having internal pawls, P, adaptedto engage with the ratchet, the internally-bent band C, secured to thewheel-hub, bifurcated lever G, fulcrumed to an arm, D, on the hearingI), and adapted to engage with theshaft H, and the strap Q,secured tosaid shaft,all constructed and arranged for joint operation,substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the internally-toothed hub-band G,loosely-journaled pinion L, having internal pawls, P P P, arranged toengage during the forward motion of the vehicle with the ratch et-teethN upon the end of the pinionshaft or sliding Windlass-rod H, having astrap, Q, and held in bearings J JJ, secured upon the axle B, in whichit is slid backward or forward by the pivoted hand-lever G, whenconstructed and arranged to operate substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal this 2d day of February, 1882.

WILLIAM P. KIRKLAND. [L.

Witnesses:

HUGH WILSON, E. J. PLUMMER.

